Top 10 Must-Know Back Exercises with Dumbbells

Updated: November 6th, 2019

Our back is host to some of the biggest and most powerful muscles in our body. And, consequently, who doesn’t love back day? A common misconception is that you need a wide range of equipment, inclusive of power racks, to get an effective back workout done.

In this article, I will be sharing with you 10 of the best back exercises you can do with only a pair of dumbbells! This means you can do them anywhere, including from the comfort of your home. I’ll be throwing in an example dumbbell back workout for you to try out too!

10 Back Exercises with Dumbbells

Below you will find 10 of the most effective dumbbell exercises for your back. I’ve included notes on which part of your back each exercise targets, and how to get the technique right.

1. Bent Over Narrow Row

Back Muscles Targeted: Lats, rhomboids, erector spinae

Instructions:

• Have a dumbbell in each hand.
• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and have a slight bend in your knees.
• Bend forward 45-degrees at the hips.
• Start with your arms fully extended, hanging in a straight line from your chest, palms facing each other.
• Pull the dumbbells up towards the bottom of your rib cage, elbows skimming past your sides.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together for a second and then release the dumbbells slowly back to starting position.

2. Bent Over Wide Row

Back Muscles Targeted: Lats, rhomboids, rear deltoids, erector spinae

Instructions:

• Have a dumbbell in each hand.
• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
• Hinge forward 45-degrees at the hips.
• Start with your arms fully extended, hanging in a straight line from your chest, with your palms facing behind you (setting up the plane of movement for the wide row).
• Pull the dumbbells up towards the bottom of your rib cage, elbows going out wide.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together for a second and then release the dumbbells slowly until your arms are fully extended again.

3. Stiff Leg Deadlifts

Back Muscles Targeted: Lats, traps, erector spinae

Instructions:

• Have a dumbbell in each hand.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Have your arms by your sides and fully extended.
• Keeping your shoulder blades retracted and your spine in a neutral position, hinge forward at the hips, lowering the dumbbells down the front of your legs until you feel a pull through your hamstrings.
• Engage your glutes and upper back to pull back up into a standing position.
• Don’t allow your back to bend forwards or shoulders to roll inwards at any stage of the exercise.

4. Reverse Fly

Back Muscles Targeted: Rhomboids, rear deltoids, traps, erector spinae

Instructions:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand.
• Lean forward at the hips, pushing your hips backwards and maintaining a small bend in your knees.
• You should start with your arms hanging down in front of you with the dumbbells together and your palms facing each other.
• Place a small bend in your elbows and then perform a reverse fly, opening your arms out wide and squeezing your middle back together.
• Hold for a second in the top position and then return to starting position.
• Ensure that your torso stays still throughout.

5. Upright Row

Back Muscles Targeted: Traps, rhomboids

Instructions:

• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand on fully extended arms by your sides.
• Your palms should be facing behind you and the dumbbells should be perpendicular to your legs.
• Using your traps, pull the dumbbells upwards, bending at the elbows. The dumbbells should move upwards in a straight line whilst your elbows go out wide.
• Pull the dumbbells all the way up to your collar bones, at which point your elbows are in line with your ears and your upper traps fully contracted.
• Hold for the count of two and then return to starting position over a few seconds.

Read more: 8 Upright Row Alternatives For Upper Body Strength And Power

6. Chest Supported Supinated Row

Back Muscles Targeted: Lats, rhomboids

Instructions:

• Set up a bench at a 45-degree incline. Rest your upper body on the bench, chest against the backrest and have your feet on the floor with straight legs or bent and supported on the seat part of the bench.
• Start with a dumbbell in each hand, on extended arms which should be hanging in a straight line from your chest.
• Rotate the dumbbells so that your palms are facing forwards, creating a supinated grip.
• Pull each dumbbell up towards the lower end of your rib cage.
• Tuck your elbows in and squeeze your scapular together before returning to starting position.

Here is a list of weight benches that we’ve reviewed.

7. Kneeling Single Arm Row

Back Muscles Targeted: Lats, traps, rhomboids, rear deltoids

Instructions:

• Kneel on one knee, resting it on a horizontal bench with your other leg out wide, foot on the floor.
• Support your upper body with your non-working arm, palm down on the bench.
• Keep your chest facing the bench with a neutral spine and neck.
• Grab the dumbbell in your working hand.
• Your starting position should be with your working arm fully extended, enough for you to feel a slight stretch through your rear deltoids.
• Row the dumbbell up towards the bottom of your rib cage, pulling your elbow up and back, skimming past your side.
• Hold for a second in the top position then return to the bottom, allowing the stretch through your rear deltoids before going into your next repetition.

8. Shrugs

Back Muscles Targeted: Lats, rhomboids

Instructions:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Have a dumbbell in each hand on extended arms by your sides.
• Retract your shoulders slightly and then raise them as high as you can towards your ears, fully contracting your upper traps. Your arms should remain straight.
• Hold for the count of two in the top position and then lower down in a controlled motion to starting position.
• Avoid spending too long in the bottom position between each shrug.

9. Lat Pull-Overs

Back Muscles Targeted: Lats, rhomboids

Instructions:

• Lie on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor.
• Hold a dumbbell between your hands and start with your arms full extended above your chest.
• Lower the dumbbell down behind your head whilst maintaining a slight bend in the elbows.
• The end point should be where you feel a good stretch through your lats.
• Engage through your lats and pull the dumbbell back up to starting position, which is when your arms are fully extended above your chest.

10. Renegade Row

Back Muscles Targeted: Lats, traps, rhomboids

Instructions:

• Start in push up position, but with a dumbbell in each hand.
• Once you are stable in a strong, straight line from your head to your toes, commence alternating rows from left to right.
• Pull the dumbbell up towards your rib cage with your elbow skimming past your side and return it to the ground slowly then repeat on the other arm.
• Avoid twisting through your hips or shoulders with each row.
• Keep your wrists stacked above your hands, rather than allowing excessive flexion through them.

Back Workout with Dumbbells

The following example workout contains a collection of the exercises described in this article and is suitable for all strength and fitness levels. It is, however, important to select a weight that is safely manageable for you.

Instructions:

• Each superset consists of 2 exercises which are to be done with 30 to 45 seconds rest in between them.
• Do each superset 3 times before moving onto the next superset.
• Have 60 seconds rest in between each set.

SUPERSET 1

• Chest Supported Supinated Row x 15
• Reverse Flyes x 10

SUPERSET 2

• Bent Over Narrow Row x 15
• Lat Pull Overs x 10

SUPERSET 3

• Shrugs x 15
• Single Arm Kneeling Row x 10

Final Thoughts

As you can see there is no shortage of exercises for your back that can be done using only dumbbells! The exercises contained in this article target a range of muscles through your back. The example workout delivers a comprehensive back workout that leaves no back muscle untouched!

Of course, there are other dumbbell back exercises that can be done, but I believe these 10 are the best ones out there that, if done correctly, will generate great results and keep your back happy! 

What’s your favorite exercise here? Let me know in the comments section below!